Police: Westboro man stabs mother, 72

Friday

Feb 14, 2014 at 7:26 AMFeb 14, 2014 at 1:37 PM

A divorced father of six was held without bail for what authorities say was a savage knife attack on his 72-year-old mother that left her disfigured and mutilated, hiding in her bathroom in the Haskell Street house they shared.

By Donna Boynton TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

A divorced father of six was held without bail for what authorities say was a savage knife attack on his 72-year-old mother that left her disfigured and mutilated, hiding in the bathroom in the Haskell Street house they shared.

Daniel Uhlman, 44, of 1 Haskell St., was arrested Thursday night after he was found walking in the middle of East Main Street. He was covered in blood.

Mr. Uhlman is charged with assault to murder, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (a knife) on a person over 60 and mayhem. He was arraigned in Westboro District Court yesterday (Friday).

Police said Mr. Uhlman is not employed and is disabled.

His mother, who was identified in court documents as Nancy Uhlman, called police around 9:50 p.m., to report that she had been stabbed multiple times. When police officers arrived on the scene, they observed blood throughout the house – including a trail of droplets from the kitchen through the family room, according to Lisa Casella, the prosecutor at Mr. Ulhman's arraignment.

Officers heard moaning coming from a bathroom, where they found Mrs. Uhlman, her face covered in blood, her nose disfigured as if it had been broken and her hands soaked in blood, according to Ms. Casella.

“There was so much blood that the officers were unable to determine the totality of her injuries,” Ms. Casella said, adding that when police asked who attacked her, she identified her son.

A short time later, a state highway worker reported seeing a man with blood-soaked jeans and a large amount of dried blood covering his face, Ms. Casella said.

Mr. Ulhman was taken into custody without incident.

The police report described the brutality of the attack, noting Mrs. Uhlman’s left hand was “swollen to the size of a softball,” and it appeared Mr. Uhlman tried to cut his mother’s nose off.

Mr. Uhlman “disfigured and mutilated the nose of his mother, Nancy Uhlman, by stabbing it many times with several serrated steak knives. The amount of force used during the assault caused all knives to be bent or broken and blood soaked,” Police Officer Gregory C. McRae wrote in his report.

Police later found several steak knives next to Mrs. Uhlman’s bed.

Mr. Ulhman, wearing a white jumper, blue booties, handcuffs and shackles, was ordered held without bail. A dangerousness hearing is scheduled for Feb. 19. Police records indicate that Mr. Uhlman’s numerous tattoos include a grim reaper and an angel.

In an interview outside the courtroom, Police Chief Alan Gordon said the attack appeared to have started in the victim's bedroom, and that Mr. Uhlman did not appear to be intoxicated when he was arrested.

Police said they have not determined a motive for the attack. Although seriously injured, the victim is expected to survive, the chief said.

Chief Gordon said there is no record of any disturbances at that address.

In court, Ms. Casella said Mr. Uhlman has a history of assault arrests dating to 1991, including assault and battery on a police officer and assault with a rifle.

Mr. Uhlman currently has a charge of negligent operation of a motor vehicle pending in Westboro District Court

David Kapelner, a Northboro lawyer appointed to represent Mr. Uhlman, said Mr. Uhlman has been living in the area nearly all his life, and has with six children, and “he gets along well with all of them.”

Mr. Uhlman answered for himself in court, saying “not guilty” when asked by Judge Virzi how he pleads.

There did not appear to be any family members in the courtroom.

Meanwhile, Chief Gordon said authorities hope to learn more about the attack after interviewing the victim.